Mindfulness-based therapies have gained traction over the past three
decades. First pioneered by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979, and later presented by Marsha Linehan as a key
tenant in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), practices for mindfulness in Texas continue to gain
empirical support. Numerous studies have supported mindfulness-based therapy as an effective treatment
for anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance use and eating disorders, to name a few. Other benefits include
improved immune system functioning, enhanced relationships, increased self-compassion, lower blood
pressure and greater focus. Mindfulness is defined as “a way of paying attention: on purpose, in the
present moment and nonjudgmentally.” This includes being open to feelings and thoughts as they
arise and
just accepting them for what they are, without trying to change them or run away from them. Given that
substance use disorders are inherently avoidant in nature, this ability to stay in the present moment is
an integral part of recovery.
Exercises for mindfulness in Texas can be used to help these
individuals see things as they are in the moment, rather than focusing on finding their next
“fix”
to escape the pain. Mindfulness in Texas also promotes the awareness of the constantly changing state of
our minds, bodies and environment. Rather than fixating on the idea that “this feeling will not go
away unless I get high,” individuals learn that feelings really do pass if he or she can just ride
them
out. Think of a time when you were in deep emotional pain. Was it constant? Did it fluctuate? How long
did it last? Helping someone to see that their current state is not everlasting can greatly reduce their
need to escape with a temporary high. Individuals also work on acceptance of their urges. Those in
recovery often get discouraged when they have urges to use, as they feel as if they have failed.
Techniques for mindfulness in Texas, such as urge surfing, teach acceptance of the urge without judgment.
Urges are natural. They come and they go. One must simply be willing to ride them out without
acting on them in order to truly understand this aspect of reality. These techniques, combined with other
coping skills, provide a framework for recovery that creates self-awareness and mitigates shame by
creating a sense of self-acceptance. It is in that self-acceptance that one can move on to address the
issues that first led to the substance use disorder, thus creating a foundation for lasting recovery.
